


The Cruel Goddess

by jiyuunoriyuu



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 04:31:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15307533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jiyuunoriyuu/pseuds/jiyuunoriyuu
Summary: fine saved her, so it's time for Anzu to pay them back.AKA In which Anzu want to produce fine instead of Trickstar, and Eichi is not amused.





	The Cruel Goddess

**Author's Note:**

> I tagged it as YuzuAn because I like their relationship here? Oh, and in this AU Anzu is in 2-B instead of 2-A!
> 
> It's a part of the Anzu zine, which you can download for free here: https://t.co/1poJdzvsD3!

"No longer an emperor, hm?"

 

"Thanks for the early reminder," Eichi sighs as he eyed the girl sitting on his chair. He feels a headache forming as he remember how the girl keep on stopping by the student council room after she found out that he got discharged from the hospital. And that was before DDD. Who know how persistent she will be now, after fine has fallen. "You know this room is for authorized staff only, right? I'm pretty sure you're not on the student council."

 

"That's what Isara-kun said. But I told him I got an important stuff to discuss with you. A talk between a producer and unit leader. So we will talk about it properly, or I will stay here until you listen to me." Anzu hopped down from the chair, her smile show that she won't accept a rejection this time.  


Maybe it will be faster if he at least listen to what she want to say.

 

"Alright. But I told you that fine don't need a producer. Anyway, fine is not the top unit anymore, why bother with us?" No matter how he act, Eichi still feel bitter about Trickstar's victory at DDD. If only he was a little stronger, if he was on his best condition...

 

Just wondering won't take him anywhere.

  
"I don't care who is the current top unit, I've got my own mission." It made Eichi look at the girl, her determined eyes send a shiver down his spine. She got a resolution there, if nothing else. "I gonna make fine the undefeatable emperor."

  
***

 

"Yuzuruuu."

 

"Yes, Anzu-san?"

 

"I told you to just call me Anzu, no honorific." She kicked his chair from under her table, making the boy turn around to give her an exasperated look. The kicking start soon after she found out that he's also a transfer student, and got even worse after she saw him in fine's unit costum. "Anyway, you're not against me being fine's producer, right? Kaichou told me that he will let me do it only if all fine members agree."

 

"And I told you no need to kick my chair, I'll respond if you call me. I..." The boy hesitated for a second. There's no easy way to answer her question. But there's also no point in lying. "My preference is nothing important, you know? If it's alright with Young Master, then I'm okay with it. Go ask him first, my answer depends on his."

 

Anzu shake her head, hand gripping on Yuzuru's sleeve so the boy can't go anywhere. This is one of the reason why she decide to ask each member separately. She wants Yuzuru's _real_ opinion, not Tori's subjective one.

 

"You know that you don't need to let Himemiya put his words on your mouth, right? It's okay to tell me what you think. You transfered so you can take care of Himemiya, I know. But is Himemiya here? No. At least in this classroom, you can say whatever you want, no need to be so cautious. Now, tell me what do you think about me being fine's producer."

 

Yuzuru blinks at her, smile cracking as he tries to not laugh at her serious face. Weeks after he became her kind of best friend--they're each other closest person in class, if thats what a best friend is--her random change of pace and expressiveness always amused him.

 

"You already think about the speech before asking me, huh? Okay, okay. I think you will be a good producer? You _did_ help Trickstar to win S1, after all. I still don't understand why you let them go right after, but I'm sure you will be able to get fine to the top. You're pretty smart, after all." There. He said it. Yuzuru watch as Anzu grin so wide it surely hurt, waiting for her respond.

 

"Oh, please, I'm pretty _and_ smart." She laughed then hopped to the door, pat his shoulder without stopping. "Himemiya and Hibiki-senpai next, then. Thanks, Yuzuru!"

 

***

 

"Hibiki-senpai, let's make a bet!"

 

"Oya? What kind of bet?"

 

"If I can bring Hasumi-senpai's glasses to you, you will agree on me producing fine."

 

"Hm, and why should I?"

 

"Because if I can do it, won't you be amused? At least I can give you some fun, if nothing else."

 

***

 

This training is hell.

 

Tori try to follow all of Wataru's movement and keep failing. He repeat in his mind, this is hell. Why can't he get a kind instructor, someone who will get him stronger without torturing him?

 

"Himegimi, please don't lose your focus!" _Uh, he want to be stronger than this weirdo already._

 

"I bring refreshment!" Anzu burst through the door, arms full with snacks and water bottles. The girl's entrance distract Wataru enough so Tori can drag himself to the side, ready to pass out. It's been 2 hours since their training started, he can't take it anymore.

 

"Anzu-san! Please wait a minute, Himegimi is still in the middle of practice! Thank you, though."

 

"I can't." Tori groaned from where he lays, giving up the moment Anzu came in. "Slave no. 2, give me some water."

 

"Tori-kun, _otsukaresama_." Anzu sit beside the younger boy, passing the water bottle with a smile. Tori feels like something will go wrong, it's rare for Anzu to do as he said without any complain. The girl must have something she want from them.

 

"So, what have I, a merely peasant, done that you decide to grace us with your presence?" Wataru joined them, sitting beside Anzu. Tori can see it too, the glimmer of curiousity in Wataru's eyes. Simply bringing refreshments to lesson room without knowing when they'll have a break isn't something Anzu normally do. The girl usually hang around giving her critics and opinion until they need her help.

 

"I got an offer for Tori-kun," her smile turned a little devilish, and Tori struggles not to shudder. It's a sign of something bad, or maybe some weirdly good thing. He saw Anzu toying around with good result before, so it's probably one of her Good Intention Games. "You want to be Yumenosaki's top idol, right?"

 

"Yes, I guess?" The question is unexpectedly normal it made the situation scarier.

 

"Then let me be fine's producer. I help Trickstar defeat Akatsuki, so you know I can do it, right? fine is a great unit, I'll make you guys even better. You can't rule from the bottom of pyramid." It's easy. Asking Tori is really easy, but the boy is still considering it, so Anzu will use her last trump card. "I'll get fine back to the top. And when you became the best, Kaichou will praise you. He will admit your ability. That's what you want, right? You saw what I can do, so let me use my 'magic' on you."

 

There's another beat of silence where Tori is considering believing her, but the second pass quickly.

 

"Well, we can try. There's nothing to go but the top, anyway."

 

 _See, it's sooo easy._ Anzu clap her hands in delight, satisfied with Tori's answer. Half of fine done, another two to go.

 

"Then, here you go, Hibiki-senpai. A present for you." She take a glasses case from her bag, open it carefully to show a glasses all of them could recognize easily.

 

"Is that Keito-kun's glasses?" Wataru took the glasses carefully, his expression half amazed and half unsure. "Well, I kinda expected you to get it, but I still have to ask. How?"

 

"I asked." Anzu giggled at Tori and Wataru's puzzled expression. "I asked him all proper and nice. Can I borrow your glasses? It's for Kaichou's sake, I swear I won't break it. He will come back to you without a scratch. Then he give me this glasses, it's one of his spare."

 

There's a pause before Wataru laugh boisterously, surprising the others. He put Keito's glasses back to the case, not willing to make Anzu break her promise. If Keito believe the girl with his glasses, he got nothing to worry about.

 

"Amazing! Yes, of course I will let you be fine's producer! I didn't expect such a normal way, you're unexpected on that aspect!" He pat Anzu's head, then jump up to gesture wildly. "You've got approval from all of us, isn't that a joyful occasion? Amazing! But we got a lesson to do now, and don't you have somewhere to go, Anzu-san?"

 

"Yeah," Anzu stand up with a determined expression on her face. "It's time to convince the Emperor himself."

 

***

 

"I see, so you got the others' stamp of approval." Eichi said before Anzu could say anything. The boy is sitting on a bed in infirmary, his face a little pale. He almost collapsed earlier in PE after forcing himself to participate on a game of dodge ball. His class could be a little vicious on any kind of competition."I have to ask though, why are you so keen on producing fine? We were the top of Yumenosaki, alright. But you helped Trickstar to defeat Akatsuki, our ally.Then suddenly you’re hiding from everyone, not participating in DDD. Why do you want to change side after everything you've done?"

 

"Because I wanted to see how strong the current fine is," Anzu pull a chair to Eichi's bedside, her cheerful expression turned serious. "Well, more like I want to know fine's weakness. I need all your data to be your producer, after all. And it won't help if I go to your side directly, I have to think about ways to defeat you. In the end it's not totally my works, but I managed to get some information?"

 

"You're talking too fast, Anzu. Explain." Eichi interrupted before Anzu could continue.

 

"Alright," She take a deep breath, trying to form the sentences before she start to spew out another mess. "So I know most of fine's strength, but not the weakness. Anyone who hid it did a great job, all I found when browsing fine were the good things. It was Aoba-senpai, right? I decided to side with Trickstar, so I could find out which part of fine should I repair. There's a bit here and there, but thanks to DDD, I managed to form a plan to fix it up."

 

"In short, You're taking us down so you can make us stronger?" There’s disbelief and amusement in Eichi’s voice. He knew Anzu is a little weird, but this is some soap drama level of weird.

 

"Yeah, when you're on the top, there's nowhere to go, but when you fall, there are room for improvement. Right?"

 

"Not really, but I kinda get your motive." This girl is a little twisted, just like Eichi himself. "Why fine, though? There's also Knights, or any other unit. You could choose any fallen unit."

 

"Because fine helped me get through life," Anzu smile bitterly, her hands fidgeting with papers on her lap. A month ago she can't tell anyone, but now that she got closer to her idols, the past feels like someone else's. Like a stranger's life story. "There was a big trouble in my life, about a year ago? I accidentally saw one of fine's live, so I made fine my escape, my safe place from all the mess in my life. The old fine. Tomoe Hiyori, Ran Nagisa, Tenshouin Eichi, Aoba Tsumugi. I'm obsessed, but isn't that fine?

 

"I got distracted for a few months, but imagine my surprise when I got to transfer to Yumenosaki! It's like a dream comes true, except half of my idols already transferred to another school and another one isn't in the unit anymore. Yeah. But I'm here to pay you back, so let me get fine back to the top."

 

Eichi blink at the girl's smile, his head reeling at Anzu's explanation. Yuzuru warned him about her messy pace of thought, but not about her strong will. He didn't expect something so deep, but everyone got a bit of dark past, he guess. Even the producer everyone called as their goddess.

 

Maybe he and the girl got a little more in common than just their twisted way of thinking. Probably it’s Eichi’s chance to turn fine into a real top unit and not just his tool to fix the broken Yumenosaki. Perhaps it’s Eichi’s opportunity to redeem his wrongdoing in the past.

 

When the goddess offer him a blessing, how could Eichi reject her?

 

"Alright, then show me what you're made of. Welcome to fine, Producer-san."

**Author's Note:**

> I ship MaoAn, yet somehow I can't stop writing Anzu with fine....


End file.
